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Think I’ve decided on a Tohatsu 30 hp since I need the trim option which the 20 doesn’t have. But I’m not brand loyal. This motor probably will not get flushed while the boat is in the water, and she’s in the water half the year. I do run the motor every few days though. The etec which is 14 years old this year, did pretty well. The pee stream slowed down over the years but it still ran with no dash lights. I’m replacing it for a variety of reason, one big one is that no one wants to service them here.

Back in the seventies, we never flushed out our 9.9 Johnson’s. Time change I guess.

Ix

Sounds like you have made a decision that works best for you.

Flushing:
I used to flush my 34' diesel engine at the end of weekends. Well, flush the heat exchanger. I had a T valve that I could switch to a bucket with fresh water. I doubt I would do that anymore.

Hi Ixneigh!

Local servicing is a great thing to consider!

We started with a 2001 Tohatsu 50 hp two stroke when we got Over Easy.
The fuel consumption of two strokes and maintaining a 2001 engine twenty plus years later were problematic for us.
So after much researching, asking, looking, reading, calling around we chose to go with a 4-Stroke electronic ignition Suzuki DF60AV for our replacement engine.
Yamaha followed by Honda were our alternatives.

The Suzuki was our choice based upon our mixed salt water / fresh water utilization with the greater majority anticipated to be in Salt or brackish water. Serviceability was also a prime consideration. (Lots of places locally here in SC, NH, VT and along the ICW.) Replacement parts availability is not a problem either in-person or online. The reliability history was also very strong.

Tohatsu has very nice 4-stroke electronic ignition engine options and tended to be lighter than the Yamahas and Hondas.
About the same as Suzuki.

Our choice was the number of service providers in our planned operational locations.

Another aspect was the anticipated salt water operations where Suzuki seems to have an excellent reputation.

We do flush our engine when we come in from a day out on our local SC waters which are primarily salt water or brackish water.
Quick and easy fresh water flush connection is readily accomplished without fuss when in our marina slip or when enroute on the ICW when traveling as we have stayed in marinas. It really makes a difference in minimizing any salt build ups as evidenced when doing our annual maintenance checks. There are both internal as well as external sacrificial engine anodes on the Suzuki. These are available in Zinc, Aluminum and Magnesium so one can Taylor them to one’s operational environment.

The inspection, selection and changing of the sacrificial anodes is the key to a long and happy engine life, particularly for any engine operating in a salt or brackish water environment.

There are also aftermarket products like ‘Salt-Away’ that can help remove internal deposits if one’s situation only periodically allows one access to fresh water for engine flushing.

Best Regards,
Over Easy